Chennai, Sep 29 (IANS) Dabang Delhi K.C. eked out another close victory, beating Haryana Steelers 38-37 in their first match of the third leg of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 12 at the SDAT Multi Purpose Indoor Stadium on Monday.

In a match befitting the opening day of the Chennai leg, Dabang Delhi were in control, courtesy of Ashu Malik’s Super 10. However, a late fightback in the final quarter nearly gave the Steelers the victory, as Jaideep’s High Five and Vinay’s 18 points went in vain.

The opening 10 minutes between the defending champions, Haryana Steelers, and the table-toppers, Dabang Delhi, proved to be a gripping contest, with neither side managing to seize the upper hand. Both teams matched each other raid for raid, with Ashu Malik and Vinay making their presence felt early on.

With the scores tied at 8-8 at the 10-minute mark, the exchanges on the mat were razor-sharp. Ashu struck twice in quick succession, while Vinay responded with equally effective raids to keep the Steelers level. Neeraj Narwal and Vishal Tate also chipped in with crucial points, ensuring the contest stayed neck and neck.

The second quarter saw Dabang Delhi wrest control of the match with a clinical all-round effort. After a strong opening spell, Ashu turned the tide with a series of sharp raids, supported ably by Surjeet Singh and Saurabh Nandal in defence. The Steelers, who had looked composed early on, suddenly found themselves under pressure as their raiders struggled to break through.

The breakthrough moment arrived when Dabang Delhi inflicted the first All Out of the game on Haryana. That decisive blow gave the table-toppers a substantial cushion and a firm grip on proceedings. Ashu’s dominance was evident as he added raid points almost at will, while Fazel Atrachali’s tackle on Vinay highlighted the team’s defensive steel. By halftime, Delhi had surged to a commanding 19-13 lead.

The third quarter saw the Steelers attempt to claw their way back into the contest with gritty defending. Jaideep stood tall with multiple tackles, while the Steelers banked on Super Tackles to keep the deficit from growing wider. Vinay chipped in with raid points to steady their scoring.

But the turning point came when Ashu Malik produced a brilliant Super Raid to wipe out the Steelers and inflict a second All Out of the night. That moment not only restored Delhi’s double-digit cushion but also brought up Ashu’s Super 10 in his milestone 100th PKL appearance. The Dabang Delhi skipper’s composure underlined his big-match temperament as his team surged ahead 30-19, tightening their grip on proceedings.

A dramatic turnaround in the final 10 minutes saw the Steelers storm back into the contest with momentum on their side. Sparked by Vinay’s consistency in attack and Ashish Narwal’s energy off the bench, they pushed Dabang Delhi onto the back foot.

A decisive All Out gave the Steelers fresh life, and suddenly the deficit was cut down to just two points with only 90 seconds left on the clock. The comeback had the crowd on edge as the game turned into a thriller.

Vinay then pulled off a multi-point raid to bring the Steelers level, but Dabang Delhi struck back immediately through Neeraj Narwal with a raid of his own to restore the lead. Ashish Narwal, who had been outstanding since coming on, chipped in with five crucial points in that phase, including one in the final raid of the match.

However, by then, the seconds had run out, and Dabang Delhi held on nervously to seal a nail-biting 38-37 victory. It was a finish befitting a clash between the defending champions and the table-toppers, who now boast eight wins this season.

–IANS

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